Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Matthew Welch/Craig Colorusso: Rusted Breath Quiet Hands

227

Matthew Welch/Craig Colorusso: Rusted Breath Quiet Hands

By

Sign in to view read count
Matthew Welch/Craig Colorusso: Rusted Breath Quiet Hands
This beautiful gem offers a surprising collaboration between multifaceted composer and alto saxophonist Matthew Welch and performance artist, sculptor, dancer and guitarist Craig Colorusso. Brooklyn-based Welch is known for blending his Scottish roots into his compositions—often by playing the bagpipes—but he is also influenced by Indonesian Gamelan music, have studied with such composers as Alvin Lucier and Anthony Braxton, and having collaborated with sound alchemist Ikue Mori on her Balinese odyssey Bhima Swarga (Tzadik, 2007). Ceol Nua (Leo, 2002) and Dream Tigers (Tzadik, 2005) demonstrated Welch's wide spectrum of references.



New England-based Colorusso has played in several indie bands, released the solo guitar album Strap Parts (Moodswing Records, 2005) and, in the last decade, has composed soundscapes for his installations, including Between Two Worlds, created in collaboration with visual artist Jeph Gurecka to honor the deceased in the World Trade Center disaster. Rusted Breath Quiet Hands is released on Colorusso's newly founded label.



"I, one of two long tracks, is a slow drone improvisation/composition, where Colorusso produces dark and resonating sounds by bowing the guitar, with Welch adding long and sustained notes that hint gently about his Scottish musical heritage. The tension of the spare guitar fretting is resolved beautifully by the sax fluctuations. "II" is a lighter piece that maintains the mysterious atmosphere of the first track; the "Quiet Hands" part of this release. It offers a gentler meditation on quiet and simple sounds such as the soft strumming of the guitar and Welch's subdued alto sax work, which slowly gains in volume and articulation. A strange and fascinating recording.

Track Listing

I; II.

Personnel

Matthew Welch: alto saxophone; Craig Colorusso: guitar.

Album information

Title: Rusted Breath Quiet Hands | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: MUUD

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.